Hello. Now that I've had some time to reflect on Riverssance, I've realized one of the attractions. It is the opportunity for people to wear an unusual costume and take on a new personality for a few days. I've met some of the characters outside of the Kingdom walls and many of them are very passive and withdrawn. It's interesting that behind a mask some people feel more comfortable letting their real personality shine.

I believe it's the reason some people get tattoos and piercings or join in the goth thing. It is a way for them to "create" an identity. They don't believe in themselves, so they become someone else. I think we all become someone else at times. We all need to realize the person we unleash while hiding behind a freaky haircut or strange clothes, is inside all the time. We just have to feel comfortable in our own skin...after all it's all we have. Learning this can be difficult, but when we do, life will be better.

I began to discover who I was at the age of 18, when I moved to Omaha. Nobody knew me. There were no pre-conceived notions of me. The people I met didn't know my family, the schools I went to, the trials I had growing up. I had a blank canvas to paint a picture of me. I didn't have to put up any defenses. So I did what felt good. I haven't stopped doing that since. For the most part, it's worked out OK.